Madurai, Tiruchchirapalli, Thanjavur

Captain_Neel

I would love visit all three places but if I need to, which one should I drop? I am really looking for others' recommendations and opinions.

pquekel

Depends on the time you have to spend, but I think both Thanjávur and Madurai are experienced best staying there for at least four days each. And not to visit everything, but to enjoy town life and the big temples in different moods, time of day,again and again. Not sure if this is true for Trichy as well, but it probably is, and so it doesn't matter that much which place you skip from your itinerary. Quality matters though...

mikewill

Don't miss out on Madurai. We didn't stay in Thanjavur, only visited for the day from Trichy, although the temple is wonderful.

bijapuri

I see you're from BLR, an overnight train away from all three.

Tiruchi and Thanjavur are very close to each other, so can be visited together more easily than throwing in Madurai. for that reason, I'd go for them if I had to leave one for another time.

You can't go wrong on any of them, they are all stupendous places to visit.

Madurai is generally considered the biggest extravaganza- It's one of the busiest temples you will ever see. the town has a nasty infestation of both touts and mosquitos- maybe they reincarnate as each other, I must admit, Madurai has a panache all its own- it's easy to be overwhelmed there.

The Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur is ultra stately, a true marvel of engineering and I'd say the most archeologicaly and historically important site. A stay at the Ideal river resort is a genuine treat if you can manage it.

Tiruchi has the most temples to see, although you can "do" them in one day. Do Srirangam and the other main temples in the day, and cap it off with a late afternoon climb up the rock fort temple for the sunset.

I wish I was you!

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Sama

a temple not to be missed is the one in Gangaikondacholapuram. I was more impressed with it than the temple in Thanjavur. It is near Kumbakonam, which really isn't all that far from Thanjavur and Trichy. you can see pics of the temple in my photo gallery.

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bijapuri

ah, a wonderful, ifunpronouncable, temple that is!

And that's the trouble with TN- so many temples! My personal limit is 4 temple towns per visit. Then I have to sprinkle in a hill stn or game park, and leaven with beaches b4 I am ready for more TN temples!

pquekel

Gangakondacholapuram is absolutely stunning, and when I visited it in 2000 and 2001 or 3 it was very peaceful too, but it misses the believers and priests that kick the whole enterprise alive!
Same goes for Darasuram near Kumbakonam, from an archtitectural and artistic point of view though,that temple differs so much from the one in Thanjávur that a visit is not something to miss!

Sama

that's actually one of the reasons why I liked Gangaikondacholapuram over the temple at Thanjavur:

I felt that Thanjavur had an amusement park atmosphere at night, I noticed the priests take credit cards for pujas, and I don't need to listen to the devotees on cell phones while they wait in line for puja!

but hey, that's me

Scandojazzbuff

Not knowing the original poster's interests makes it difficult to suggest where to go. As you rightly point out, the difference between a 'living' temple and an archaeological important one can be all the difference to a visitor. For me, both types are 'must sees'.

Because Thanjavur was the seat of the Chola Empire, I would vote for this being the #1 choice. The museum is unparalleled for masterpiece bronzes from this period. The big Temple is very impressive with terrific sculpture and various pujas being done. It is still a center of life and culture and not just a monument. One could also visit Dharasuram and Gangai which are also terrific monuments and not to be missed

pquekel

religion and amusement are not so far apart and why would an Indian believer still use old fashioned tools? for our pleasure?

I loved all places in different ways. I hope the OP will have the same experience.

Sama

the museum is fabulous, I spent a few hours walking around the palace and the museum. the bronze collection is fantastic.

EXCUSE ME?

Captain_Neel

Thanks all who replied.
These are the kind of stong opinions I was looking for. Since I never been there, did not know how best to phrase the question.

nedhopkins

Madurai. The temple is spectacular: like St Basil's in Moscow, it alone is worth a trip to the country in which it is located.

pquekel

Dear Yogagal, do not be so fussy about words, please, who am I to excuse you...you are entitled to your opinions and I to my reaction ... so I feel very very sorry for you that Indian believers in their temples use creditcards instead of coins with a hole in it...and I would pray for you if I was a believer myself that many temples will stay as quiet as the beautiful one in Gangakondaicholapuram.

Scandojazzbuff

If you are in Bangalore, surely you can find the time to visit all 3 places, even if it is only for 1 day at each site, and, perhaps returning at some later date. Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is incredibly impressive, both very busy, and, highlighting Pandyan sculpture like no other temple complex. All of these temples have their own feeling.